Ken's Laboratory Associates
Henry Grisé, Graduate Student, working on determining the structure of HIV surface proteins by using 2D protein crystallography and single particle analysis methods. I am investigating the structure of recombinant soluble gp120 and gp140 constructs which are being evaluated as vaccine candidates. Richard Penney, Graduate Student, working on identification of pistachio allergens. Previous research has demonstrated that some patients are allergic to pistachio. To date, the specific proteins responsible for IgE hypersensitivity to this nut have yet to be elucidated. I have been using PCR incorporating degenerate primers to fish out several allergenic proteins for expression and analysis.
  Lauren Porter, Research Associate, working on electron microscopy of HIV and SIV virions and envelope spikes. I have been focusing on the use of negative staining techniques to analyze envelope proteins and immune complexes on AIDS viruses. Jason Robotham (left), Grad Student, working on IgE-epitope mapping of tree nut allergens. Up to 3 million Americans suffer from peanut or tree nut allergy and it is estimated that as many as 150-200 people die each year from food allergy-related reactions. My research focuses on immunologically characterizing those tree nut proteins that are responsible for allergic responses and, further, identifying the specific region(s) of the offending proteins (termed binding sites or epitopes) that interact with human IgE (the class of antibody that mediates the allergic response) at the amino acid sequence level.
Pallavi Tawde, Grad Student, working on tree nut epitope mutagens and cross-reactivity. I am working on mutational analysis of allergens, the detection of cross-reactivity between tree nuts, and am using amast cell degranulation assay to detect the potency of allergens. LeAnna Willison, Undergraduate Student, working on analysis of anti-tree nut monoclonal antibodies. I have been using immunoblotting in an attempt to determine the specificity of several anti-cashew nut monoclonal antibodies for possible use in epitope mapping and immunoassay development projects.

Ping Zhu, Research Associate, working on, electron microscopy and tomography of HIV and SIV virions and envelope spikes. Over that past several years I have been using a variety of EM and computational techniques in an attempt to determine the 3D structure of the envelope proteins alone, and in complex with neutralizing antibodies. Mohsen Abolhassani, Visiting Senior Scientist, working on identification and characterization of almond allergens. On my sabbatical leave from the Pasteur Institute of Iran, I have been screening an almond cDNA library to identify and clone almond allergens for expression and study.
Lesley Armbruster,

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